Geometries and materials provide ceramic honeycomb structures with relatively high strength and durability after firing. However, the wet honeycomb extrudate produced earlier in the process is relatively quite soft and fragile, and can be difficult to handle or transport, particularly until the wet extrudate has been dried. Handling can cause shape distortion in wet honeycomb shapes, particularly those comprising thin web and/or skin structures, or where especially large and heavy extrudate sections need to be transported. Further, extrudate sections of large diameter or frontal area transverse to the axis of extrusion can be susceptible to distortion and collapse of the honeycomb channel structure as that structure must bear the weight and withstand the lateral weight shifts of the upper structure in the course of transport.